University of Houston

Computational Science Initiative

The Computational Sciences Initiative at the
University of Houston (CSIUH) is an
interdisciplinary graduate certificate
program aimed at promoting advanced
research and education in the
Computational Sciences, including
numerical algorithms, high performance
parallel computing, numerical modelling
and simulation with applications in
Sciences, Engineering and other disciplines
in which computation plays an integral role.

A Computational Sciences Certificate of
Completion at the University of Houston is
available to graduate degree candidates in
one of the participating departments --
Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering,
Computer Science, Electrical Engineering,
Finance, Geosciences, Mathematics, and
Physics -- and who have selected an
independent research project (thesis or
dissertation) in which there is a significant
computational component.

Course Requirements
Requirements for award of the Masters
Certificate of Completion include a total of
9 hours (with grades of B or higher) from
the approved list of CSIUH electives
(including at least 3 hours from outside their
home department) and earns a Masters
degree from UH. The Doctoral Certificate
of Completion is awarded when a student
completes 12 hours (with grades of B or
higher) from the approved list of electives
(including 6 hours from outside their home
department) and earns a Doctoral degree
from UH. Students must meet all
requirements of their home department. At
least one member from the Associated
Faculty Committee must be on a student's
research committee.

Prerequisites
Students entering this program should have
at least a Bachelor's degree in engineering,
computer science, mathematics, statistics,
or a scientific discipline. Students from
other disciplines will also be considered on
a case by case basis, but the following
prerequisites are strongly recommended
for those students:

One year of general college physics or
chemistry.

One year of differential/integral calculus,
a course in multivariable calculus, a
course in differential equations, and a
course in linear algebra.

A course in computer programming
(either FORTRAN, C, or C++) or
equivalent experience.

Resources
Numerous computational resources are
available to CSIUH participating students at
University of Houston. Among them are a
64 nodes IBM-SP2 parallel machine, a
NEC-SX3 vector supercomputer and
advanced powerful workstations including
SGI Origin 2000.

Admission
Interested students should access the
program's web page or contact the CSIUH
office to obtain detailed information about
academic requirements and financial
support. CSIUH students must be enrolled
in a department from which they receive
their degree. In conjunction with the
requirements of the home department, the
program consists of a common core
curriculum and a minimum number of
approved CSIUH elective courses.
Students entering CSIUH may come from a
variety of backgrounds. Admission is based
on undergraduate GPA, letters of
recommendation, and GRE scores.
Several research and teaching
assistantships are available through the
CSIUH and through the participating
departments and colleges. Information
about the program, including application
materials, can be obtained over the Internet
at http://www.math.uh.edu/csiuh.html or by writing to: Computational
Science Program, University of Houston,
Department of Mathematics, Houston, TX
77204-3476.